"Rizz" being named as word of the year by Oxford University Press in 2023 was just the start. Chronically online language is slowly seeping its way into our culture as a whole. An example of this is the 3200 new words being added to the Cambridge Dictionary this year including colloquial terms like "the ick" and "boop". "The ick" is a term popularised by both the popular TV show Love Island and social media. The Dictionary defines it as "a sudden feeling that you dislike someone or something or are no longer attracted to someone because of something they do" while "boop" is defined as "a gentle hit or touch on a person’s or animal’s nose or head, showing that you like them or as a joke". Many other colloquial terms or slangs have also been incorporated into the dictionary such as: -Chef’s kiss: Originating from a traditional Italian gesture which indicates a kiss with a sense of excellence, formally defined as "A movement in which you put your fingers and thumb together, kiss them, then pull your hand away from your lips as a way of showing that you think that something or someone is perfect or excellent". -Face journey: Defined as "A series of expressions that appear on someone’s face showing different emotions that they are experiencing as a reaction to something". -IYKYK: An abbreviation for "if you know you know". -This baby: Defined as "Something such as a device, vehicle, or product, especially one that you approve of or find impressive in some way". Even terms popularized by gaming and science fiction have made their way into the dictionary. These are: -Speedrun: Defined as "completing a game or level quickly". -Side quest: Defined as "an ancillary activity within a game". -Go over to the dark side: A reference to the fictional supervillains in the "Star Wars" franchise, it is defined as "To start to behave in a way that is evil or harmful". Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary programme manager, emphasises that these gaming terms have multiple layers of meaning, which could be implemented in our daily lives as well. For example, "speedrun" could refer to a person finishing a task in as little time as possible, and "side quest" could refer to an unimportant task taking up a person's time, distracting them from their main area of focus.
